Medicines for the Heart

Great improvements have been made in treating heart disease, largely due to the research and development of new medicines and drugs.

If you have been prescribed medication, it is important to know what you are taking, why you have been given it, how to take it, and what effects it will have.

Why are there so many different medications?

Many different drugs are used to treat the different types of heart disease, but they all belong to a few main types or categories. The drugs within each category are similar, but they may have minor variations in the way they work. Doctors have a wide variety of drugs to choose from and can select the one that best meets the needs of an individual person. Not all people with the same condition are treated with the same medication.

A single drug may have several different names. Each drug has one official name, called the generic name but it may also be prescribed under one or more trade names, or proprietary names. Occasionally two drugs are combined in one tablet and have a single trade name.

What do heart medications do?

Most drugs used to treat heart conditions change how the heart or the circulation works. the majority of people with a heart condition will be prescribed medication. Drugs are also given to help control high blood pressure or to help lower cholesterol levels. Some drugs can benefit more than one condition.

How often will I need to take medication?

Most drugs used to treat heart conditions need to be taken regularly, as your doctor prescribes. In most cases this means once or twice a day. However, some drugs needs to be taken when a symptom occurs such as with angina. It can be dangerous to stop taking your medication without medical advice. You should discuss with your doctor before you stop taking any medication that has been prescribed for you.

What about side effects?

Medications used to treat heart conditions are very safe and dangerous side effects are very rare. However, as with all tablets minor side effects can occur quite often. If you develop any new problems or new symptoms after starting a medication, it is important to tell your doctor about them. for more information about possible side effects you should talk to your pharmacist or look at the information that comes with each pack of medication. It is worth remembering that by law, the information included with each pack of medication has to list all the possible side effects. 

How does my doctor choose the right medication?

Several different medications may be available for treating your heart condition. Your doctor will choose the one which is most likely to be effective for your condition and which is suitable and safe for you. However, people vary greatly in how they respond to individual drugs, so it is difficult to know exactly which medication will suit a particular person. If a medication does not suit someone, their doctor may want to prescribe an alternative medication.

Can I take alternative medicines?

By 'alternative medicines' we mean any supplement, remedy or herbal preparation that has not been prescribed by your doctor. Alternative medicines should not be seen as substitutes for conventional drugs, as very few have undergone rigorous research trials to establish how safe or effective they are. There can also be potential interactions with alternative medicines and other medications that you may be taking.

It is important that you talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any form of alternative medicine. For more information on alternative medicines, please see our information sheet Non-pharmaceutical medicines and supplements.

Where can I find further information?

For further information about medicines for the heart, please the following resources:

Medicines for the Heart booklet
Taking medicines for your heart booklet, aimed at the south Asian community
Our medicines section on Any Questions

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